Posted: April 26, 2012

Media and Interested Parties

Sheriff's Office recovers stolen car; driver, passengers arrested

Please reference Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Case #12-12551

At about 10:40 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2012, on I-205 N. near Hwy. 213, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputies stopped a stolen 1979 Mercedes Benz. The car had been reported stolen out of Portland on March 16, 2012.

The car was initially identified by an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system as it passed a Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputy on a traffic stop. The ALPR alerted the deputy to the stolen status of the car.

The deputy then followed the car on I-205 northbound at normal freeway speeds until appropriate levels of resources were available to safely stop the car near I-205 northbound and Hwy 213. The car stopped as soon as deputies activated emergency lights.

The stolen car's driver was identified as Zacharias Varsamas, age 34, address listed as transient. He was taken into custody on a warrant for Burglary II and Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle (UUMV).

A passenger, Shane Casanova, age 44, of Milwaukie, was taken into custody for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (UUMV).

A second passenger, Linda Gibson, age 36, address listed as transient, on probation for UUMV, was taken into custody for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.

A third passenger, Aleana Gibson, age 19, of Portland, was cited and released for UUMV. She had her 16-month-old child with her.